Bedbugs (Cimex lectularius and other varieties) as household pests were largely eliminated in the early 1940s in developed countries. However, over the past decade, there has been a resurgence of bedbug infestations throughout the world, and particularly in the United States. This resurgence has been attributed to many factors, including increased international travel, increased exchange and use of previously owned furniture, and resistance to insecticides previously used in control treatments. Despite this resurgence, there has not been adequate developments in managing bedbug infestations.
Bedbugs, while typically found in the seams and crevasses of mattresses and in the folds of sheets and blankets on beds and in the linings of pillows, can also spread via and live on traveling bags, clothing, carpeting, and almost every location of an infected site.
In the past, many insect infestations were treated through the use of the chemical insecticide DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane). However, due to the environmental impact and health risks involved with its use, DDT as an insecticide has been banned in the United States since 1972 and in agricultural use throughout much of the world under the Stockholm Convention in 2004. It should be noted, however, that bedbugs resistant to DDT have been plaguing the population for decades.
Aside from DDT, other insecticides that have been used to control an insect infestation include pyrethroids, dichlorvos, and malathion. However, the insecticide approach has disadvantages. Chemical insecticides are seldom effective in controlling an infestation with just one application, and often require several repeat applications or treatment sessions in order to properly clear the infestation. Also, the use of chemical insecticide treatments on items such as mattresses requires sufficient ventilation and time for the chemicals to disperse from the item before it can be used again. Further, insecticides also pose problems after their use in that any chemical residue left by the insecticide can trigger allergic reactions, and the possibility of health risks such as cancer or neurotoxicity in humans and pets after long term exposure have not been thoroughly explored. Thus, for a personal item such as a mattress, where prolonged and close contact is typical, chemical treatments are undesirable. In any case, bedbugs and a few other insect species are immune to virtually all insecticides.
Alternatives to insecticides involve the use of inorganic material (such as boric acid), vacuuming, and heat treatment. Heat treatments are generally effective in controlling bedbugs. A typical heat treatment may involve steam, which, while effective in killing all stages of bed bugs, may not be effective or practical for large items such as mattresses or treating large areas of the surrounding environment. Also, moisture left over by steam treatments may lead to mold or moisture damage. Dry high heat treatments generally require repeated applications, and are difficult to apply at infection sites and can damage the treated material. Because the bedbugs and their eggs are so small and the bugs themselves can retreat within crevices or penetrate deep into fabrics, treatment methods must be able to address locations or items where depth is an issue, without the damaging effects of residual moisture or high, dry heat.
In order to address the above problems and deficiencies associated with the bedbug and insect treatments discussed above, an apparatus for microwave energy treatment of infection sites infested with insects or other small pests is disclosed. The microwave energy is generated and transmitted to an antenna, where it is radiated to an infected site. The microwave energy is absorbed by the insects, their eggs or larvae, or small pests, which raises their internal temperature up to the point of death, with little or no impact on surrounding fabrics or mattress materials and wood.